Trackers
by BaneLupine
Summary: AU- Merton is an Empathic trainee Tracker, a future Supernatural Police officer. He now has a familiar.  Updated: Chapter 2 Will be a saga type thing. Review to suggest a scene.
1. The Very Start

Title: Trackers  
>Rating: T (for implications now)<br>Warning: Future gore  
>Summary: AU- Merton is an Empathic trainee Tracker, a future Supernatural Police officer. He needs a familiar though.<br>AN: Try to spot the references.  
>Disclaimer: Not mine, no money.<p>

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><p>Merton was a new recruit, top of his class in theory but his less than athletic body meant that he was lucky he got through not to mention despite some mage blood in him, he was still mostly human though from his appearance most assumed he was at least part vampire. After all being a Tracker is serious business, they were the policemen of the supernatural world. Merton was still a trainee and all trainees need a familiar hence why on a Saturday night instead of being in his room studying he was down at the Trackers pound on campus looking to get one. Familiars could be anything as long as they help to do the job.<p>

Merton knocked on the heavily locked and boarded building's door. A voice told him to display his ID, when Merton complied and was deem worthy he was let into the building. It was made form thick breeze block and cement with not adornments unless you count the dozen of deep claw marks and burn marks decorating the walls. Merton hurried to the counter where he was again made to show his ID, the man behind the desk looked part mountain troll or giant. He had a thick brown beard and a deep rumbling voice.

"So you here to pick out a familiar? Are you? Yep I got some beauties here. So any preferences?" The massive man rumbled. Names and courtesies is often ignored in the Trackers, what is the point of become friends with someone if they might become demon chow the next?

Merton looked around the empty room and just said "No cats." He was quickly shuffled into through a door leading to the back. It was a large room filled with cages. There was a number of felines which made his nose tickle. There was even a number of animals that despite Merton's borderline encyclopedia knowledge of creatures left him lacking of information. All the animals though had collar around their necks forcibly stopping their powers. Merton peered through the cages looking at the smaller ones first, sadly it was mostly cats who when bonded can proved magical boosts. Being allergic and with magic which was nothing to write home about, there was little point so with streaming eyes he moved where the birds where kept. A number of hawks, owls and crows was dotted about in ceiling hung cages. A bonded bird meant the ability to share their eyesight and was useful as mail carriers but with the discovery of internet and email and topped with bifocals which the mortal raised Merton knew about, he quickly moved on. The snakes was dismissed as only people with the gift of the tongue could bond with them and there was only 2 in the last century with that ability. Fish was dismissed as the only one seemed to have a deformed fin and was oddly garishly coloured.

The man interrupted his disappointment. "There is others in the back." Then he was led into another room this time with more locks on them. This was apparently the canine and carnivore section. Merton made his way through, stopping at the odd cage to look at the occupant. A blue koala dog thing with four arms was dismissed and the usual collection of Demon hounds was left ignored. There was something that looked like a bear. Merton turned around and asked "Is that a Demon bear?"

The man replied "Nope just a bear, bear."

Merton looked at the creature before muttering "Weird." He left the man waiting at the door and quickly moved on until he heard a massive bang, a door at the back flew open and what appeared to be a bear wolf bounded out snarling and growling dragging a number of Trackers behind it. It looked like it was freshly captured with the ropes still tied around it's body. With a massive jump the animal cleared the other cages while throwing the Trackers free. They quickly scrambled after the creature before it reached Merton who was froze in place.

Despite their best efforts they were too late and the creature reached him and stopped dead in it's tracks. The animal now was definitely a bear wolf with its shoulder coming Up to Merton's head. Merton only true gift was being an empathy, he could feel and broadcast emotions and feelings. However the sheer volume of fear seeping through his shields held him in place but it was fear from the creature. Merton slowly brought a hand up to the creatures nose letting it sniff him to his surprise the creature licked his hand... though by the size of the tongue it was more like lick his entire forearm. The other Trackers finally caught up and watch in amazement as the beast that tried to kill them was happily sitting next to the tiny, in comparison, boy.

They gaped for about of second before they remembered their training and surrounded the beast. Merton turned to one of the others and calmed asked for the creature's papers and supplies. The Tracker in charge just nodded and ordered for the papers to be given to him. One of the junior Trackers gave Merton the papers which he signed and the creature's collar and leash. The next items passed on confused Merton. It was a large saddle and reins. One of Trackers quickly explained "He is big and strong enough to be a mount." A glance at the paper did tell him that it was a bear wolf and that it was captured a week ago but had no name. A glance at the creature in question showed it was listening to the conversation around him.

Merton turned to the animal who he realised really had to be named. "Will Cerb do as name?" The creature actually look like it was nodding. "You do need a collar though otherwise you can't come with me." The creature lowered it's head and allowed Merton to slip a collar onto him he quick attached the leash. It had runes printed upon it which made the animal obey and not to resist. Merton led Cerb out of the building with a heavy box full of supplies.

One of the Tracker's turned to his boss and asked "Why did you allow that kid to take the bloody thing?"

The Head Tracker chuckled "We spent a week trying to break that thing in, it wouldn't do anything unless forced to. It put 5 of my best men in the infirmary. If it kills the boy, it will be put down. Either way it is out of our hands."

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><p>Merton held the leash tightly as he led Cerb down towards the entrance to his room. Being a trainee he was still in the dorms which meant he had a neighbor on either side and a communal bathroom and kitchen. Thankfully because of the use of magic and runes even though it was really a wall of 5 doors with small narrow corridors connected, it was magically enhanced on the inside into however large the owner wanted. Like most of the other runes that helped run the Campus it was powered on the ambient energy emitted by the users. Even more luckily the doorways also could be expanded to allow larger Trackers through.<p>

As Merton unlocked the door and led Cerb through the now much much larger doorway. Merton stared at his now enormous room and sighed. The only problem is that even though the room expanded the furniture was still in the same position it was before. The only rooms that didn't do it was the communal bathrooms and kitchen rooms which had sticking runes on the back of all the furnishings which meant as the walls moved so did they. The runes took a lot of energy to power so it was considered wasteful to use on the trainee dorms. It also meant that everything had to pushed against a wall and couldn't be moved without cancelling the runes first and later reapplying them.

Merton carefully kept a grip on the leash and he shut the door behind him activating the locking and intent runes. He dropped the box of supplies on an end table. He made his way to the black faux-leather sofa now stranded in the middle of the room. Cerb seemed to be happy to follow him. He slumped down exhausted and released the leash.

He looked at the bear wolf he now officially owned. He had no idea why he did it. He was barely passing his classes as the physical side of it took up 50-60% of the grade, he was a lousy mage. His spells often didn't do the right thing if anything at all happened. He was openly hated on campus, he was considered a freak even here. Back in the Mortal Realm it was because he was weird, here it was because he wasn't weird enough. The only thing he had going for him was being a strong empathic. Big deal he could sense people's dislike about him or worse their pity. Perhaps he was suicidal after all why have such a lethal companion but that was the case why activate the intent rune? After all it stunned anything at all that had harmful intentions towards him.

Cerb whined loudly enough to break through his moment of self hate, Merton realised he must have been emitting his feelings again. He slowly brought a hand Up to the bear wolf and tried to force happier feelings. It didn't work so he brought his hand up to the beast's shoulder and pet it. He felt feelings of sadness and what felt like pity. Animals was much harder to get a read upon so he could have been wrong. He petted until he had feelings of calmness was brushing his shields. Merton looked at the massive creature and realised he was now responsible for it. He groaned. Cerb looked at him and gave what Merton considered was a smile.

Merton looked around the room. The wall were still black and the natural effect flooring was still the same. The bookshelves needed to be moved though but Merton couldn't be bothered to do so tonight. It was too much work. He just got off the sofa and pulled the cushions off to the pull out the folded bed. He crawled under the silk sheets not even bothering to kick off his shoes. He closed his eyes and drifted off.


	2. The Not So Very Start

**Tracker Part 2**

**Standard disclaimer **

**For:**

**Monki-Neko: (Who is writing a brilliant H\HR fic but is M) Thank you :) **

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><p>Merton woke upto an unholy racket. He didn't exactly spring out of bed but stumble because being a Tracker meant for all he knew it could be Unholy. He found his door currently being repeatedly attacked by his new companion. Cerb was now shouldering the door. Merton gaped openly confused at the sight after all the collar should have taken away any feelings to run away. It wasn't his own need reminded him that animals need the bathroom too, he stopped staring at the strange sight. Merton, still half in sleep mode staggered to grab the leash still connected to Cerb's collar and unlocked the runes. Now with his own ambient magic, that all with anyone with any amount of supernatural blood possessed, powered the runes on the leash Cerb stopped his attack on the door and Merton was able to lead the creature out to the bathroom on the end of the block.<p>

Thankfully there was a self cleaning litterbox in there for all familiars, with the usual expansion runes. Once man and beast relieved themselves, Merton led Cerb back into the room. He collasped back on his bed still clutching the lead, Cerb took this to try to climb on the bed with him. As soon as the large beast put a single paw on the bed, it gave an massive creak. Merton sat up quickly and pulled the leash quickly trying to stop the animal before his bed was no more.

Cerb lifted his paw up and just sat next to the boy looking at him with almost a sheepish expression on his face. Merton sighed and petted Cerb's shaggy brown fur. "Cerb, you are just too big for the bed. Next paycheck I will get you your own bed but for now you have to make do with the floor. I wasn't expecting to actually end up with a familar to tell you the truth. I need one though. You see, I am a trainee Tracker. Trackers are kinda like police officers for the supernatural. It is our job to track down and stop whoever is disrupting the worlds. It is usually the mortal realm that has the problems, it would be too easy to stop anyone causing havoc in this realm and no one would dare to do anything at all in the demon one, mind you it is usually the occupants of the demon one doing it." Merton oddly felt relieved to share this. Even if it was to an overgrown hybrid. That said hybrid was actually staring at him listening? 'How smart are wolfbears?' Merton thought.

Knowing that he wouldn't be able to think about anything else until he checked it out made him get up and go to one of his many bookcases and pick a book on the various creatures of the supernatural realm. A quick check in the index led him to page 324 where a single paragraph was written:

Wolfbears are known to the supernatural realm only. Said to be created by blood magicks by Gaius Plinius Secundus(*) from a Skybear (Extinct) and a Cavewolf (Extinct) in an attempt to create an animal for protection, loyalty and strength. Many attempts was unsuccessful, and later released in the mortal realm to be known as various bears such as polar and grizzly. Wolfbears are now only found in the wild, often in packs. Studies report average height is around 8ft and highly resistant to magic as they age. Highly agressive and terrorial creatures.

Merton flicked back to the index double checking if there was anymore pages but found none. Another search in his other books brought up no new information. He angrily discarded his books. He made his way back to the apparently highly agressive and terrorial animal who was now flopped down next to his bed watching him looking like he was grinning. He sat back on his bed and stared at his companion. "So what is it like being a magically created hybrid?" Merton asked before laughing. He stopped and frowned.

"I guess we are both in the wrong place really. You should be somewhere in the northern section hunting down elkseals and having a ball scaring off researchers. I should be back in my basement in the Mortal realm being the highschool freak. At least I know why I am here, about a year back. you see my old school enemy decided to open a portal to the Demon Realm. He lost control quickly and decided to call me over to use me as a sacrafice. After he ran, I managed to shut the gate before the Trackers turned up. They gave me a choice a complete mind wipe or becoming a trainee. I saw what they did to him but it was better than becoming like him. My family thought I won a full scholarship to a college in Canada. So here I am, what about you? Why are you here? We could ask the Pound people..." Cerb's stomach gave off an almighty rumble "...Right after some breakfast then." Merton finished.

Merton got up again and grabbed Cerb's leash and waited for the giant creature to get up and stretch out before leading him out the door. Merton made his way across the campus. It was still early enough on a Sunday morning for there to be just a skeleton guard about but no other trainees or Trackers. He led Cerb to the main kitchens, the connected ones to his dorm was more a place to warm things up than to cook, that was at the very back of the campus. He used his ID to get in the door he led Cerb to the back of the eating area and tied to the leash to a post in the corner underneath a breakfast bar . He opened the kitchen section and put in some bread in the toaster as he grabbed a lamb shank from the kitchen. He quickly spread butter over them. He used his money card to pay. Merton sat down in a slung chair and began nibbling his toast.

"Trackers have a honest thing going on besides if the tally didn't count the Admin just dock the amount from everyone. I was each given a money card which had credit that was used on campus. I use mine for food, clothing, furniture and books mainly since runes can do most things but not create such complex items." Merton explained.

"Admin uses the credit system since it means it is a meritoracy. Mertitoracy means wealth and influence is based upon intelligence and skill than hertige. Admin actually imported most of the items bought by us with actual diamonds since diamonds are the only currency accepted in the supernatural realm, Diamonds can't be created or duplicated with runes since the complex struture makes it impossible. Although they have use in jewerllery and rune crafting." Merton stopped for breath here looking at the wolfbear happily chewing into his breakfast but still with an ear pricked towards him listening to him.

Merton took this as a sign to continue, he always loved to lecture and to have a willing victim to his ramblings was a nice change. "Admins get diamonds from charging others for Tracker's services, claiming bounties and sometimes they export things particularily rune items. Oh and they do a fair trade in animals. We can exchange our credits for diamonds but the exchange rate isn't brilliant."

"Talking to yourself again Dingle?" came a snide voice. He twisted his body slightly to face Edaphic Jut(*), a pureblood mage and his usual flunkie\girlfriend Barlag Lume (*) another pureblood mage. Meton was about to retort but Cerb climbed out of his hidey hole to stand fully infront of Merton, all 6ft, 16 stone of him. His fur was bristling and he bared his teeth. As they ran off Merton just laughed in his chair, Cerb calmed down and turned to Merton gave him a sniff and once he was sure he was alright curled back up to continue with his breakfast.

Once they were finished and the bowl and scraps of meat was put in a cleaner and bin respectively they made their way back into Merton's room. Merton left Cerb in his room and grabbed some fresh clothes before going for a shower and changing into a fresh outfit. Hairgel wasn't imported and it wasn't worth the credits to get it on the black market so he improvised with condensed beeswax which only costed him half a credit for a pound. He know felt more like himself and ready to face the day. He fetched Cerb from his room and made his way to the pound.

He went through the whole process of showing his identity and being admitted in. The large man looked vaguely impressed that he was still alive but Cerb started growling the moment the man behind the desk entered his eye sight. Merton placed an empathic powered hand on Cerb's shoulder. Cerb looked at Merton and stopped growling and sat calmly but definately in front of Merton. The Pound keeper let out a laugh. "He is definately attached to you. I thought I would end up having a skin for sale. I was wanting those 50 diamonds, afterall to get a wolfbear skin is something special. Coming to return him? If so I might still get my money."

Cerb's shoulder was rumbling under Merton's hand even though no noise was escaping the large beast. Merton pushed more calming thoughts into Cerb, the muscle was still twitching but no longer shaking. Merton quickly interrupted the big man before an accident could occur. "I need some information on wolfbears, but most of all I need the file on Cerb, his paper didn't cover anything but his species and when he was captured."

The keeper pulled a little box out and activated the expansion runes on the box and files and pulled out a copy of Cerb's file. He tossed it over the counter to Merton who caught it and opened it as the keeper made his way out of a side door. Merton flicked opened the file and just began to glance through when the man came back and tossed him a book. Merton just caught it in time. When Merton looked at it, it was a copied Zoology section of the Magick Naturalis Historia written by Gaius Plinius Secundus. Merton thanked the keeper before making his way back to his room.

He sat on the bed waited until Cerb made himself comfortable at his feet before opening Cerb's file. It was like all of Tracker's files, simple and to the point.

Species: Wolfbear

Breed: Artic\grizzly

Purity: 60:40

Age: Juvenile

At this Merton stared at the 6ft creature. The beast was still in puberty, which kinda explained why the runes was working on him since apparently the species had magical resistance. The purity bit explained why he resembled more of a wolf than a bear with his longer legs, leaner legs, more pointed ears and sharper snout. He carried on reading.

Date of capture: April 2, 1999

Location: Pleasantville

At this Merton dropped the file to the floor which startled the wolfbear. Merton locked gazes with the creature shocked. It was his hometown.

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><p>(*)Author notes: Names are important for a writer. Just like JK all my names have some significance.<p>

Gaius Plinius Secundus (Plinny the Elder) was the a great great man. He had some werid ideas like giraffes were created from a camel and cheetah breeding. He had the first encycolpedia by training all his camels carrying his books to walk in alphabetical order. He actually wrote Naturalis Historia, the first encylopedia and there is a zoology section.

Edaphic Jut: Synomyn for Dirt bag or rather soil condition bag so fertiliser...

Barlag Lume: Created by looking at my screen icons. Battery and flag=Barlag Volume=Lume.

Those two isn't likely to turn up again.


End file.
